ROCKMAN
by CrimsonAngelXIII
Summary: This is the ultimate retelling of a classic story... this IS Rockman... the story... the myth... the hero! Delve deep into the characters and realize who they were meant to be.. Prepare Yourself... for the one, the only, ROCKMAN!
1. I: IFKT VIII Part I

Disclaimer: The original Rockman story and characters belong to Capcom. I also do not own the song featured in this fic. It belongs to Linkin Park. I do, however, own this rendition of the Rockman story.

Rockman  
I am a little bit of loneliness, a little bit of disregard  
Handful of complaints but I can't help the fact  
That everyone can see these scars  
I am what I want you to want, what I want you to feel  
But it's like no matter what I do, I can't convince you  
To just believe this is real  
So I, let go watching you turn your back like you always do  
Face away and pretend that I'm not  
That's all I give cause you're all that I've got

I can't feel the way I did before  
Don't turn your back on me  
I won't be ignored  
Time won't heal this damage anymore  
Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored

I am, a little bit insecure, a little unconfident  
Cause you don't understand I do what I can  
But sometimes I don't make sense  
I am, what you never wanna say, but I've never had a doubt  
It's like no matter what I do I can't convince you for once just to hear me out  
So I, let go watching you turn your back like you always do  
You face away and pretend that I'm not  
But I'll be here cause you're all that I've got

I can't feel the way I did before  
Don't turn your back on me  
I won't be ignored  
Time won't heal this damage anymore  
Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored  
You hear me out now  
You're gonna listen to me like it or not  
Right now, hear me out now  
You're gonna listen to me like it or not  
Right now  
I can't feel the way I did before  
Don't turn your back on me  
I won't be ignored  
Time won't heal this damage anymore  
Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored

I can't feel the way I did before  
Don't turn your back on me  
I won't be ignored

Time won't heal this damage anymore  
Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored  
I can't feel the way I did before  
Don't turn your back on me  
I won't be ignored  
Time won't heal this damage anymore  
Don't turn your back on me I won't be ignored

Xxx xXx xxX

A short, 40-year-old Japanese man sat at his desk, his hands folded in front of his face and a red sunset behind him in the large window that surrounded the back of his office, reflecting off his glasses, and concealing his eyes, giving him a lifeless, soulless appearance. "No. It is too dangerous." He said. His speaking of the English language wasn't perfect, giving his voice a strange sound when speaking to the brilliant man before him.

"Too dangerous!? This is the scientific break through of the millennium! These advanced humanoid robots are our future!" An old man said. He was about sixty, with white hair and a mustache. He also had a slight beard and glasses, but unlike the businessman before him, his eyes were clearly visible.

"Thomas! No! It is too dangerous. If they were to go berserk…" The Japanese man shuddered.

"I know the dangers…"

"Then you know my answer. All requests concerning government funding for Artificially Intelligent Robots are to be deleted from our mainframes immediately." The Japanese man said, speaking into a microphone on his desk. "Good bye, Thomas." Two men in black tuxedoes walked in and forcefully escorted the scientist out of the room.

"You're making a mistake…"

"No, I am not, Thomas. I am saving lives."

Chapter I 

Ishi Kobushi-Faita-Taikai VIII

Part I

A black haired, 16 year old boy walked down the streets of New Tokyo, his hands in his pockets and his head focused on the ground beneath him. He exhaled and turned into an alley, stopping in front of a large dumpster at the end. The area was a mess; trash and cardboard boxes arranged into intricate yet easily navigated homes. "I'm here, Kakashi…" The teen said. He raised his head, his dark blue eyes full of fear. A large silhouette appeared, and was surrounded by two smaller ones, and it crossed its arms.

"'Bout time!" The large silhouette stepped forward. His name was Kakashi Hagane, and he was the most feared man in south New Tokyo. He basically ran the place. Anyone unlucky enough to meet him rarely lived to tell the tale. He was 210 pounds of pure muscle, and had dark blonde hair with brown highlights scattered about. His eyes were stone gray, and his face in an angry frown… same as it always was. "Now… do you have the Zenny?" The 16 year old handed a silver card to Kakashi. "…50,000… that's only half you little twerp! Where's my cash!?"

"I'll have it next week…"

"Next week!? Ha! I'm not waiting another week. I've let you have plenty of spare time… but I'm still not paid."

"Please, Kakashi, I can't right now, things came up and…"

"Listen, Takeshi," Kakashi grabbed Takeshi by his black T-shirt's collar and lifted him up into the air. "You have my money by Friday night, or else. I'm not waiting a second past 8:00 p.m.!" He threw Takeshi into the wall and stepped back into the shadows. "I'll be waiting." Takeshi rubbed his head and limped off.

"Kainashi Inu…" Takeshi muttered under his breath. His name was Takeshi Rokku, and no matter how he tried not too, he always got in trouble with the wrong people. He lived on his own, since his parents had died when he was 6, leaving him to fend for himself. It was hard, but he survived, learning his own form of martial arts. A mix of classic Karate, Kung Fu, and street fighting.

"Thomas… you're back early… that means…" An old man shrouded in the shadows said.

"Another rejection, Albert. Perhaps coming to Tokyo wasn't the best idea…"

"Ha! The Ameroupian government would have used them as weapons had we submitted our research to them. Tokyo was our best shot… I guess the world just isn't ready for advanced robotics yet."

"Our dream must become reality…" Thomas said. "We just need willing participants."

"You mean we're going underground?"

"I have no choice. I've spent 20 years of my life on this! I won't let the government erase my life's work… not now…"

Takeshi walked through the city streets. How was he supposed to get 50,000 Zenny by Friday? That was only 2 days away… it was impossible. He sighed and walked about lazily throughout the city, no destination in mind, when a flyer blew into his face. "Huh…?" He pulled it off and took a look. It read, "Ishi Kobushi-Faita Taikai VIII will be held this Friday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. This is an all Japan, classic, fighting tournament open to people of all ages. No weapons permitted. Grand prize includes 150,000 Zenny and a trip to North New Tokyo to witness the opening of the new Sky City." "A tournament, huh? Hmph… well, if I'm going to see Saturday, I have no choice… I hope there's still a spot open!" He rushed toward the address given at the bottom, when the thought crossed his mind… what was he getting himself into?

So there he stood. It was amazing. Sweat filled the air for the next two miles, hundreds of thousands of people stood crowded watching as the first participants prepared for battle. It was completely new to him. This wasn't just a shot at some money; this was his shot at living past today. He rushed to the front desk and talked to the man there. He was about 22, with short reddish hair and a light beard. "Tickets are…"

"No, I'm here to sign up." The man looked down and laughed.

"You? You're just a twerp."

"The flyer says all ages."

"…… Unlucky for you, someone withdrew. Welcome aboard the death train, kid. Next stop, Hell." The man grabbed and stamped his hand and shoved him into the outskirts of the ring. The participants stared at the newcomer walking down the locker aisle. THIS was the last entry? He was in a classic white karate dobok, minus the shirt, a black belt tied around his waist. He seemed to be showing off his somewhat muscular chest and arms, which looked like fat compared to other participants. But he knew power and muscle didn't matter as much as speed and intelligence… Then he saw him. It was Kakashi. He stepped back.

"…? Well, well, well… if it isn't Takeshi! So this is how you're gonna pay me back?" Kakashi chuckled. His uniform was also the traditional dobok… somewhat. It was black, the edges of the shirt torn and the sleeves ripped off. His belt was black and red and he had chains around his chest, block most chest attacks. "I'll kill you here. People die in this tournament… we don't want an accident now, do we?" Takeshi gulped, and Kakashi laughed in response, walking off.

"Attention all participants, the show begins in 1 minute. The first match is Takeshi Rokku vs. Jakob Yami." Takeshi was scared now. After seeing all the older guys and Kakashi, he was beginning to wonder if his skill would be enough… but nevertheless, he slowly approached the ring, Jakob already waiting for him. Jakob came from America, and wore dark gray, baggy pants and military boots, but that's it. His face was scarred and his hair was pitch black. He seemed familiar… but how? Takeshi dismissed the feeling and got into a fighting stance as the bell rang. Chuckling, Jakob ran forward headfirst at Takeshi, whom, right before impact, pushed down on Jakob's shoulders, flipping over him and sending him into the dirt. Jakob snarled and rolled over, pushing himself up with his arms and glared angrily at Takeshi, whom was now on the other side of the ring.

"What, didn't expect a teen to already score a point on you?" Jakob spat at the ground and leapt into the air, pulling back his fist and shoving it forward with his every muscle, creating a small hole in the ground, but totally missing Takeshi.

"What the hell?" Takeshi was now the one flying through the air kicked the man in his back, sending him down with a loud crunch and snarl. Takeshi already had two points. "DAMN IT!" The man twisted his body, relocating his body and he lunged forward again, going for another head first attack. This time, however, Takeshi only kicked his head and sent him flying back. He head was as hard as a rock, however, hurting his foot on contact and doing no real damage. The man looked up, blood streaming from his forehead.

A woman's scream.

The sound of a knife tearing through flesh.

A man's grunt as he was slammed against the wall.

Takeshi now remembered where he saw this man… this was the man whom had killed his parents all those years ago… the one who killed his mother and later his father in vengeance but allowed Takeshi to live. Now he wasn't holding back. He was going to make the man's own power be his death. The man flipped through the air and attempted to land on Takeshi, who easily dodged by stepping aside. This man was slow. He punched at Takeshi, only to slam into one of the poles that connected the chain boundaries. Takeshi made several twirls on the ground and slammed into the man's back repeatedly, jumped, and kicked of his head, sending it into the pole, and him to the other edge of the ring. The man still survived, however, and attempted another punch only to be kicked in the chest and sent flying back into the now crimson pole. The bell rang once more and the match had ended, the man defeated and near death. Medics quickly dragged him out and Takeshi was the victor.

As the next match began, a man known as The Creeper vs. Kakashi, Takeshi grabbed a slice of Pizza from the small restaurant connected to the tournament grounds. Several of the other competitors were in there eating and talking amongst themselves, but mainly about Takeshi. How could such a weak kid bring down Jakob so easily? He was earning respect.

"Nice match, shrimp…" A gothic man walked up to him. His left arm was robotic, and his right completely encased in gothic tattoos. His eyes were gray and hair smoke gray, with several scar-like tattoos running down his cheeks and pale white skin. He, like most competitors, had no shirt, but baggy black pants, made for tournament fighting. "You have skill… but how long can you keep up your energy? That guy was a pushover… the others, however…"

"Satoshi Blek and Draco please prepare for the next round." The Goth smirked.

"See ya… hopefully." He walked off, leaving Takeshi to think… how long COULD he keep this up?

The paramedics had Jakob on a bench while they grabbed equipment from the officials, leaving him alone trying to catch his breath. From the shadows, an old man cackled. "Pathetic…… you fell so quickly." He said. "I can fix that. I specialize in the field of robotics… and, with your permission, I can turn you into a robotic masterpiece… an invincible force of raw muscle and energy." Jakob looked up, the small iron lung keeping him from talking. However, the look in his eyes told the story. He agreed. The man grinned, two men in MIB-like suits escorting him to a nearby truck. "I've got all the participants I need right here, Thomas…" He told himself, walking off as the bell rang for the next match.

END CHAPTER

Author's note: Well, did you enjoy chapter one? This took me a few months of thought and planning, but it should turn out nicely. Can't make any guarantees on when the next chapter will be up, but hopefully it will be soon. Until next time, Bai!


	2. II: IKFT VIII Part II

Disclaimer: Do not own Rockman, yada, yada, yada; don't own any songs mentioned, yada, yada, yada…

Chapter II:

Ishi Kobushi-Faita-Taikai VIII

Part II: Birth of a Hero

It was a true spectacle. Kakashi and the quickly advancing "Creeper" battled it out like no one else in the history of the IKFT, neither could make a real hit on each other without having a block, counter, and counter-block. It was truly amazing. The DJ flipped on some "Linkin Park" and the people watched in awe. The two continued blocking each other's blows as Takeshi attempted to wipe the blood from his open wounds. But he could only watch in awe at the battle rather than his wounds, however. He knew in the end it would be between him and Kakashi… he just hoped it wouldn't. Kakashi would kill him out there…

"IT ENDS NOW!" Kakashi swept at the "Creeper's" legs and delivered a massive double punch and kick to his head as he tumbled; an instant knock-out. The crowd oohed and ahed as Kakashi walked out as if nothing happened, leaving the unconscious "Creeper" to bleed.

Meanwhile, Takeshi lowered his head. What had he gotten himself into? "You know him?" The black-haired teen spun around, his wounds finally ceasing to bleed, to find Satoshi standing there. "You stare at him as if you know him… as if you owe him something." Takeshi was confused. "Yeah, I know. I'm good with figuring people out. I can see every detail of their current state just by looking at them… in a way I can read their inner thoughts and exploit them. Otherwise I wouldn't be this far in."

"That's some gift…" Takeshi replied, curious as to why this man even cared about a weakling like himself.

"But I am not strong. I can see within you. You have compassion. I have hate. You have power. I have weakness. We are complete and total opposites and that is why I will be quick to eliminate you. If anything, we will eliminate each other, like magnets of the same pole headed toward each other at blistering speed we will collide and propel each other deep into the ground, eliminating us both from this vile race."

"How poetic." Takeshi sarcastically replied.

"Joke all you want, shrimp. But this tournament is the real deal. People are crazy out here… they will not stop for fear of killing."

"I know. As he said, "Welcome aboard the death train. Next stop, Hell"." Satoshi grinned wickedly.

"Exactly."

"AND KAKASHI WINS!" The announcer said, surprised. "The greatest duel in the history of the IKFT is ended by South New Tokyo's own, Kakashi Hagane. The next match will be between the gothic warrior Satoshi Blek and the amazing Takeshi Rokku, who is wiping the floor with every contestant, despite the fact he's only 16. Guys, your match is in 5, so be prepared!" Satoshi smirked.

"I'll kill you." He replied. Takeshi made no response; he just wiped his face and walked out to the ring.

… … … … …

The DJ quickly changed the music for the next fight; which could be an even more intense match than the previous. Takeshi stood there, awaiting his opponent as the crowd roared. Was this applause for him? He had no time to wonder, however, for in Satoshi cut through the air at amazing speed, landing directly in front of Takeshi. He stepped back to gain some room and awaited the bell. As it finally rang, the Goth grinned and stared deep into Takeshi's eyes. What… was this…? Why couldn't he move? Suddenly, every fear, every pain, every thought of his entire life bombarded him nonstop, tearing him a part. He fell to his knees and screamed, holding his head, feeling as if he were about to explode. The Goth repeatedly kicked Takeshi as he was down, who paid no attention to his attacks, too wrapped up in his own despair.

"MAKE IT STOP!!!!" Takeshi screamed. Satoshi was doing exactly as he did with every man, bringing them down and ripping them half from the inside, using their own minds against them. He had no need to be strong.

"I believe this match is o…" Before Satoshi could finish, he could feel a quivering hand grab his leg from behind and weakly pull him towards its source. "You're still sane!?" Takeshi, one eye open, laughed as he attempted to pull the man to the ground, despite the pain his body was in from such a bombardment of fear and hopelessness and hate. Satoshi shook him off and leapt into the air, attempting to literally snap Takeshi in half. But rather than taking the deadly blow, Takeshi jumped to his feet, grabbed Satoshi's leg, and threw him out of the ring, an immediate disqualification for him. "You're mind… why won't it bend?!" Satoshi shoved aside the referees and jumped back into the ring. "FALL!"

"You can't…. ugh…" Takeshi moaned. "You can't stop me!" The match ended too quickly. Satoshi wasn't going to be defeated by a weak minded child!

"BEND!!" Takeshi ignored the dark thoughts, repelling them with thoughts of brighter days, better times, and dashed toward the Goth, sending him flying into a wall and out of the ring once more with a punch to his chest, ribs breaking in the process. He just fell, confused… how is it that Takeshi stopped him? Everyone fell to his ability… everyone…

… … … … …

The old man, Albert, still concealed in shadow, grinned and strapped Jakob down. "I will recreate you… I will play God and make you the ultimate being! You will be the first man to be combined with robotic parts to create a super man, if you will!" Jakob tried to break the straps. He didn't like where this was going… "Heh, heh, heh… you can't escape now! You agreed to this!"

"Listen Old Guy, I want out! I don't want this anymore!"

"The name is Dr. Wily! And you are now my first test subject!" A robot skeleton pulled a lever, and electricity flowed through Jakob's body, his screams echoed throughout as Wily began to rip apart and recreate the man.

… … … … …

This was it. The clouds gathered, and the air smelled of blood, sweat, and rain. It was down to the last four contestants. Kakashi Hagane vs. "Crimson", and Takeshi Rokku vs. Max "Heat". This was truly going to be interesting… a second ring was prepared, and a third, final ring without fencing erupted from the ground between the two, its base covered in spikes, and being made of cold steel. Takeshi took his spot on the far right corner and Max took his, his burning, short, spiked red and orange hair lightly blowing in the wind. His torn brown leather jacket and black T-shirt lightly rustled in the wind, and his baggy gray pants worn by most contestants barely moved. "So it comes to this… the Burning God of Fire, Max "Heat" Stirn, vs. the Street Fighter, Takeshi Rokku, and the Behemoth, Kakashi Hagane vs. The Bloody Angel, "Crimson"!" The announcer said. Takeshi's scraped chest was drenched in sweat, and highlighted his six-pack abs even more than usual. The lighting was perfect, showing every muscle on his upper body. No one could really see how muscular he was till then… he must have gotten in a lot of street fights to get so strong looking.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! BURN BABY BURN!" Max screamed, fire shooting from small cannons behind him. The DJ switched on some new fight music and the battle began. Takeshi began by circling his opponent, then jumped around like a grass hopper off every pole and chain section he could, attempting to confuse Max, then cut through the air like a knife, attempting to kick him to the ground via his chest. Alas, it would not be, for Max quickly reacted by grabbing Takeshi's foot and twisting him 'round mid air and slamming him to the ground. He then moved so quickly around the ring, he seemed to be a blur, or fireball. He repeatedly and quickly punched Takeshi in his head and chest as he got to his feet, sending him flying.

Meanwhile, Kakashi just stood there, awaiting Crimson's move. Crimson was known for killing every opponent he ever faced in the tournament, and won the grand prize 6 times. Only one man took him down… but he mysteriously died soon after. Crimson was thought to be a mad man, a man with no name, a man whose soul intent was to kill all living things. His hair was, of course, crimson, as were his eyes. He wore a black T-shirt, sleeves torn off by hand, with a gray MMZ-style vest over it. His pants were the normal baggy dark gray fighting pants, and he wore no shoes. They slowed him down. He was known as the Bloody Angel, or the Soaring Vulture, for his tendency to fight while in the air, via jumping off surroundings and opponents. He quickly took into the air and slammed down ward with his heel, attempting to bash Kakashi's head in, but he blocked and in effect, snapped the man's ankle in half. He grinned and closed in.

"GUH!" Takeshi attempted to catch his breath as Melchior delivered a massive blow to his abdomen. "You're strong."

"And you're weak. The point?" Max kicked Takeshi aside and one of the people in the crowd handed him a chair. "Technically, this isn't a weapon… and the rules have nothing against it." He slammed Takeshi three times with the metal chair and threw it aside. "And to think… you took down everyone else so quickly!" Takeshi closed his eyes tightly as Max's foot collided with his back. After the onslaught, Takeshi's eyes snapped open. He wasn't going down… not now. He shook off the barrage as if it were nothing and dashed toward Max, shoving him into the upper left pole and repeatedly punched his chest and stomach. 10, 20, 60, 80 times, and finally let him fall to the ground before getting slammed deeper by an ancient move, a RAW style body-slam. Takeshi panted like a dog in the sun, awaiting Max to get up… but he didn't. The crowd gasped and Takeshi approached Max.

In the other ring, Crimson attempted everything to knock Kakashi down, but every attack just bounced off his body. It was as if he wasn't even human. Grinning, Kakashi grabbed Crimson by the head and swung him around like a medieval flail, before hurling him deep into the bleachers, and crowd.

Max's hand shot out and he pulled Takeshi to the ground, grinning madly. "Heh, heh, heh… you're going down now, weakling." Lightning flashed and thunder rolled as Max closed in for his final strike, only to be interrupted by the bell. Time was up.

"AND THAT'S IT! For the match between Max Stirn and Takeshi Rokku, the winner will be decided by the number of hits on the opponent. This may take a few moments…" Takeshi caught his breath while he could, while Max just lit a cigarette, awaiting the rains. "And the results… the winner is… Takeshi Rokku! For landing 121 hits!" Takeshi had mixed feelings. He was advancing to the final match, but he was also advancing toward his death. He and Kakashi weren't exactly "Friends". As the stairs to the top of the final ring rose from the ground, the rain began to fall heavily to the ground, putting out Max's cigarette as he walked off, unfazed by his failure and pain. Kakashi grinned as he and Takeshi climbed to the top of the large pillar, the other rings sinking into the ground.

"Ready to die, twerp?"

"…" Takeshi was silent and leapt above the final 10 steps, landing on the edge of the ring.

"Show-off." The storm raged and the winds picked up as Kakashi finally made it atop, the DJ playing the ancient hit, "Faint", by Linkin Park. The two dashed toward each other as the bell finally rang, but were flung off the huge pillar by a huge explosion. The crowd turned their head to see two figures in the midst of the dust and smoke. The announcer prepared to call the police, only to be interrupted by a small spinning blade, which killed him instantly, and returned to the right figure. Takeshi, playing hero, immediately dashed toward the figures, ignoring the embers of fire slowly blinking out in the rain, and kicked one of them, only to hit metal and bounce off in pain. As the winds blew the smoke away, the left figure sent a huge blast of electricity toward a nearby light, having it explode and tumble toward Takeshi. He quickly rolled out of the way only to be shoved aside by Kakashi, clearly angered at the fact that he didn't get to fight his rival.

"Oh no you don't!" The figure on the right grabbed Kakashi and began crushing his arms with ease. His left eye glowed red and scissor blades jut from his palms. "Snip, snip." He said darkly, Kakashi's screams of pain echoing throughout the area as the man laughed his head off… literally. The second man placed the head back on, and the smoke cleared enough for everyone to get a good look at the man on the right. The right side of his face had no flesh, and revealed a metal section connecting to bone, and red armor around his wrists, shins, and a red helmet. Atop, a small hole, and a faint red W on the back. The rest of his body was encased in a white bodysuit, and his hands were completely robotic. His red belt hid many things, including several small scissor like razors. He removed his hands from Kakashi's now immobile arms and a silver pellet jumped up from the hole in his helmet, and quickly morphed into a sword as he grabbed it. Takeshi could look away as the man… thing, violently slashed and stabbed Kakashi.

"What is he…?" Before Takeshi could get his answer, he heard a rush of air, and a pure robot stood behind him. He had no flesh on his face, only steel with two beady red eyes and a mouth. His armor was Black, and encased his chest, wrists, shins and shoulders, with a yellow bodysuit encasing his robotic body. His helmet had a wavy lightning bolt on the front, and on the back was a dark gray W, similar to the one on the red-clad monster. Takeshi screamed to the heavens as millions of volts of electricity shot through his body. The wounded Satoshi rushed to save him, but was sent flying, nearly dead, by a massive explosion. From a large saucer-like craft, the two monsters were summoned back, and an old man's cackle haunted Takeshi as missiles were sent tumbling toward the crowd, killing everyone on contact.

Meanwhile, outside the temporary coliseum set up for the tournament, a younger scientist watched in horror. What had Albert become? He then saw Satoshi's body not to far away and slowly approached it.

The saucer-like craft quickly took off, taking Kakashi and Max with him. Though Max was still very much alive and nearly unharmed, he was the one who organized the entire attack and creation of the two armored men... if they could even be called men anymore.

Takeshi just laid there, barely conscious, the only one not taken by Albert that wasn't dead. He laid alone… cold… left to wallow in his own pain and horror.

The younger scientist then approached him, and looked down. "I can help you." He said, helping Takeshi to his feet.

… … … … …

"R… robots…?"

"Cyborgs, actually. My colleague, Albert, must have planned this from the start. We have been studying advanced robotics for decades together, and I guess he was just in it for the power… when I suggested we experiment on willing people to further advance our work, he must have gotten the idea to destroy them in that tournament, and take them in as mere lab rats."

"What kind of sick mind would do that…?"

"His, I guess… he always was the darker side of me. We were like yin and yang, like brothers…" Takeshi winced as the scientist touched his wounds.

"I want to stop them…" The scientist looked up.

"Why would you want to end your life trying to stop him?! He's just too powerful…"

"You said you wanted willing subjects. Well here I am. Turn me into one of them… I have the feeling no man nor weapon can stop them but one of them. I don't know why… I just want to stop him…" The scientist smirked, but his smirk quickly turned into a grin.

"You're a brave boy, Takeshi."

… … … … …

Several hours later, Takeshi awoke from his slumber, having no feeling anywhere but his head. As he studied his body, he seemed to still appear human… but something felt… different. He stared at his hands as if he had never seen them before, and made a fist, the sound of hydraulics replacing the unheard sound of muscle and bone. "It is done." The scientist, Thomas, said. As Takeshi git up feeling returned to his body. Though he was now mostly machine… he felt human.

"…" Takeshi was silent. Thomas grabbed a suit of dark blue armor from a closet and handed it to the teen.

"Dark blue armor made with the toughest mineral on earth, a lighter blue body suit with the same protection as a medieval suit of armor, and boots with miniature rockets built in for extra speed when needed. Your body has, as you can probably already tell, also been enhanced. Your arms are now completely robotic, your right one using nano-bot technology to morph into a laser cannon and steal the abilities of other cyborgs by merely touching them, bone in most weak areas has been reinforced or replaced entirely making you more resistant to falls and explosions, and your muscles have also been enhanced with nano-technology giving you extra strength. You are the ultimate man, Takeshi."

"…Takeshi sounds so weak… I want a name that people can identify with strength… a name that identifies with versatility and power…" Takeshi thought for a moment. "Rock Man. I am… Rock Man…"

END CHAPTER

Author's Note: This came sooner than expected... but as I like to say, "Inspiration hits like a rock to the head!"


	3. III: Brothers Part I

Disclaimer: This is the last time. I DO NOT OWN ROCKMAN OR ANY BANDS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT MAKE AN APPEARANCE!!!!! I ATE COW FOR DINNER! Okay, that was irrelevant, but… uh… ah forget it. On with the fic!

Chapter III:

Brothers

Part I: Hell on Earth

The orange setting sun behind him, Takeshi jumped off a building, landing inches from the ground; thanks to his jets, and began floating toward the Bank. Within, two men had tied up the security guards and were quickly making way with as much loot as possible. Unfortunately for them, they didn't notice the robotically enhanced teenager floating behind them with his arms crossed in disgust. "What's this? Didn't your mother tell you it's not right to steal?" The two quickly spun around and threw silver bars at him, which only dented and bounced off his unfazed armor. "Yeah, nice try." They then tried to run away, only to be grabbed by the collars and hung wedgie-style on the nearest flag poles, awaiting the cops.

… … … … …

"AND IT'S ALL THE RAGE! A new hero, calling himself "Rockman", is stopping various crimes…"

"Everyone's talking about him; the half robot, half human warrior of justice, Rockman!"

"They're calling him the Blue Bomber, hero to all, stopping crimes big and small…" The 40 year old, small Japanese man snarled and threw his remote at his holographic TV, as if it'd break it. Every channel was talking about the same thing, Rockman, Rockman, ROCKMAN!

"Damn you, Light! I told you no!" He yelled. "How dare he disrespect ME, the Emperor's advisor?" While Japan was a free and fairly modern country, they reverted back to Emperors rather than presidents and modern dictators for traditional reasons, not wanting to abandon all of their older culture. "He'll loathe the day he disobeyed me…" The short man pressed a button, and spoke into the mic. "Yumi, get me Emperor Daisuke… tell him we have a traitor amongst us."

… … … … …

"They're complete at last…!" The old man said, sitting down, still concealed in shadow. He pressed a button, and the four cyborgs launched from the ground via an air shoot, followed by the one full robot, which had been deemed Electricman by the public, or Elecman for short. He was on the far left, and Cutsman, the second cyborg, stood at the far right. He too, was named by the public. In the center, stood three unknowns; the Doctor's latest experiments. He gasped for air and spoke. "You are the beginning of a new breed… a new sub-species of man that will soon overrun this world's governments and become the leading figures. You are the almighty." From behind, Max stepped forward and confronted the five elite.

"You each have your own unique abilities… as you have probably already found out. I too, am one of you…" From Max's left hand, a small sphere of condensed fire appeared, and fizzled out as he made a fist. "But I will stay behind as you conquer your own territories… the doctor is not as strong as he had been in previous years… leaving him in need of a bodyguard. Now, back to business. Choose your own continents or countries, and make them yours. Demonstrate to the world your power." The five nodded and disappeared in flashes of light, beaming high into the sky and fazing through all objects as if they did not exist. "They fell for it…"

"Widespread panic… so beautiful…" The doctor gasped for air. "Soon this world will be in my hands."

… … … … …

"Italy…" Explosions rocked the city, as many super-sharp blades spun through buildings and power plants, spreading fire all about. "Germany…" Bombs fell from the sky, destroying many houses and government facilities. "Ameroupe." Ice swept across the huge country, freezing it in seemingly unbreakable Ice. "China." Electricity jumped from object to object, destroying them instantly. "Nation Z." A huge robot swept in, smashing tanks high into the air and obliterating the ground beneath him on contact, while taking flight once more with his jets. "And even here, in Japan, where a huge fortress has made itself apparent just off shore, as you can clearly see." The cameras switched to Live, and aerial footage was taken… but quickly lost as fire incinerated the armored copter into ash. "My God… what is this heat!?" A figure, barely visible on the near yet distant Island, caught fire and totally destroyed the area. Thomas turned off the HDIII Holographic Television and turned to Takeshi.

"It's happening. He's trying to take the world down country by country… what scares me most is the fact that he has Nation Z and Ameroupe under his thumb… they, together, have limitless power…" Takeshi nodded.

"I can't take them all on my own… hell; I don't think I can take ONE on my own!"

"Heh… don't forget you're no normal human anymore… not to mention you can easily copy their ability and use it against them."

"Whatever… I just don't think I can take them all." Thomas nodded.

"Well, you won't be. You weren't the first, Takeshi… there's another like you out there… but he ran off before I could complete him."

"…" Takeshi was silent.

"He may help you… he may not… you're brothers, in a sense, and that should be enough for him to come and help you when needed…"

"What about transportation? I can't get around the world…"

"Actually, you can." The doctor interrupted. "Takeshi, meet Rush." A dog barked and stepped forward. It was clad in red armor, and had no fur, but a tan-ish skin. "He is full robot, and can move at astonishing speeds… in a matter of three seconds, he can reach from 0 to 800kph." Takeshi shook his head.

"You thought of everything, didn't you?"

… … … … …

"WOOO HOOO!!!!!" Takeshi yelled as he twisted and twirled in mid air, using Rush's Jet feature, clinging to his back via magnets. His target was Italy. There was something… evil… about Cutsman… something far more evil than Wily, even… a power that cannot possibly belong to human or cyborg… Finally, his destination… As he landed, he found that he had landed on hundreds of human bodies, piled dozens of feet into the air. Cutsman was a madman… killing for no reason… just for… fun. Takeshi only had to follow the bloodcurdling screams of Cutsman's victims to locate him… something Takeshi wished to never hear again. Such agony… such pain… never did Cutsman kill his victims as they pleaded… he wanted to watch them squirm and grab for death only to live instead. Then he'd let them wallow in despair and die… tortured for hours… Laughter. Insane laughter… screams… the sound of blade slicing through bone. This was Hell on Earth. "Cutsman!" The sound of hydraulics barely drowned out the screams as Cutsman turned to face the newcomer.

"Takeshi? Takeshi Rokku!? Well, well, well! I thought Zappy killed you back at the tournament!" Cutsman laughed. "Come on… Cutsman? What, did you get drunk and pull a name from thin air?" Takeshi sweat-dropped.

"Don't look at me… blame big media."

"Of course… only the creators of the name Incredible Human could conceive such a moronic name… Just call me Jakob… like your mother screamed, as I slowly ripped her apart, all those years ago!!" Takeshi's eyes widened. "I will rip you apart, as I have everyone else! You will SQUIRM! You will WALLOW! You will beg for death, and I shall leave you to SUFFER!!" The maniac sent one of his limitless spinning blades toward Takeshi. Out of pure rage and hatred, Takeshi deflected it with his wrist armor and sent it flying back at Cutsman. "PLEASE!" Cutsman snapped the blade in half and sent its remnants flying as small knives. Takeshi kicked off the body-concealed ground and leapt above the barrage and toward Cutsman.

"Let's try this!" Takeshi, er, Rockman, sent a huge blast of plasma energy toward Cutsman… Who simply sliced it into nothingness with a spinning blade. Rockman jetted off to the right and dodged the attack, only to be hit by one of Cutsman's flying kicks. Takeshi grunted, and followed up with a round-house kick to the cyborg's head, creating a small crack and explosion as he collided with the ground. "…" Rockman was silent. Cutsman quickly dashed into the air, the small crack in his helmet slowly healing. He laughed and laughed, and time seemed to slow… Finally, he shoved Rockman to the ground by pushing down on his shoulders, and sent a barrage of strange little helmeted creatures. They hid in their helmets as they fell to the ground, stood up, and fired several bullets from their mouth. Rockman returned fire, only to have his shots dissipate as they made contact with their helmets, and was shoved into the barrage by Cutsman. He laughed. So weak…

"…You should pick on someone your own size." Standing directly in front of the sun, you couldn't make out many features, sans for the large shield strapped to his back and his scarf, flowing in the light breeze. "Leave him be!" The figure sent a huge blast of golden energy at Cutsman, only to have it, too, dissipated by one of his spinning blades. "Hmph." The figure disappeared, and left Rockman to fend for himself. Explosions rocked the area as Rockman finished off the three small robots, and he turned to face Cutsman.

"It ends now." Takeshi warned. Cutsman couldn't help but laugh.

"Look at this! The kid wants to be a hero! Feh!" Cutsman sent three spinning blades toward the blue hero, two diagonally and horizontally, only to have the blue one duck and roll away. From behind Cutsman, the figure from before fazed into existence and, with a faint, short whine, sent a huge blast of energy at Cutsman's head, sending him falling into the ground face first. His helmet shattered, and his disfigured head was revealed. Many veins connected to metal plates and pipes, and his brain was replaced with a large chip, which stored all his memories and personality. He spun around and saw a cyborg similar in appearance to Rockman. He was clad in crimson armor with a thin, gray bodysuit beneath. His scarf lay loosely on his collar and his eyes were shielded by a black visor. His helmet wasn't as blocky as Rockman's, and in a V shape around his visor, with white marks scattered about the forehead area. His armor around his legs was double plated and kinda blocky, and led up to his knees, where a red utility belt was tied around his waist, about 5 or 7 inches higher. His arms were mainly unarmored, except for his wrists which had the same, sorta blocky, double layered armor as his legs, and as his legs, the second, thicker layer showed by about 2 inches. His golden scarf stopped blowing, and he dashed forward, punching, and blasting, Cutsman's chest, sending him flipping through the air.

"I weakened him. Finish him off, now!" Before Takeshi could speak, he was gone, fazing out of reality. There was no time to think, however, for Cutsman had gained a new helmet, and dashed forward, a huge pair of scissor blades materializing from the hole in his helmet as he moved head first. Takeshi slammed him down into the ground by pressing on his head and blasted him deeper and deeper, until a crater was formed. Cutsman was angry now. He leapt high into the air and sent dozens of spinning blades at Rockman. He narrowly escaped them by twisting and turning, but was caught off guard by a kick from behind. It seemed that red-clad warrior wasn't the only one with teleportation skills.

"Heh, heh, heh…" Cutsman seemed to cut through reality itself, creating a small tear in the air, and climbed in. It quickly sealed up, leaving Takeshi to wonder. Minutes passed, and nothing, so he decided to go home.

"Rush…" Takeshi was silent. "Rush? Where are you? Rush!" Silence. He searched for several moments, only to find rush sliced in half. Cutsman was clearly here. And the wound was very fresh… meaning… too late. The blades clasped around Takeshi's abdomen, and Cutsman slowly squeezed them inward. He laughed madly. This was it? This was Rockman?

"Weak…" Once more, the red-clad warrior had to make an appearance, and he latched on to Cutsman's neck, flipping him over and sending Takeshi flying. The red warrior ran forward and shoved Cutsman into a pile of bodies as he attempted to arise, and left once more. Takeshi didn't wait. He attempted to charge his blaster like the red one did, and sent a massive blast toward Cutsman/ The red and white madman could only stare wide-eyed and in horror as the massive blue energy beam rushed for him.

END CHAPTER

YAY! Cliffy! My old friend! Well, till next time!


	4. IV: Brothers Part II

Chapter IV:  
Brothers

Part II: Brother Red, Brother Blue

After the massive explosion, an ash-covered Cutsman emerged, a grin on his face. "NOW THAT'S POWER!!! SHOW ME MORE!!!" Cutsman cloned himself twice and the three fazed out, and fazed in around Takeshi, sending two spinning blades each at him. He ducked, barely dodging them and jumped into the air once they returned to their masters, sending another large blast at one of the Cutsmen. They sliced right through it, as he had hoped, sending smaller blasts across the area, instantly destroying the clones. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HAH! BANG, BANG!!!" He sent two glowing spinning blades at the blue one, a gunshot-like bang echoing as they were launched. Takeshi, knowing they were moving to fast, awaited impact… only to hear the clanging of metal. As he opened his eyes, the red warrior from before was blocking each with his shield, which showed now wear.

"Can't you do anything right?" He shoved Takeshi aside and split himself into three different red warriors, all of which fired at Cutsman. His power multiplied by four, this would be slightly stronger then a charged blast… meaning massive damage would be taken. As the madman stumbled, he grabbed his shoulder, a yellow light surrounding his hand. "You can copy abilities, Takeshi! Don't forget that!" Before he left, he sent a single spinning blade at Cutsman, severing his left arm.

"GGGGAAAHHH!!!" He screamed, a mixture of oil and blood emitting from his wound. He jammed a sword up the wound, stopping the bleeding, and giving him a new permanent weapon. Takeshi glared angrily at Cutsman. This madman had to die, right here, right now. Memories of his parents brought a tear to his eye and anger on his face. This was his chance. He could kill this vile man; end his reign of terror, right now. So why was he holding back? Was it the fear of killing? He didn't care now. It was time to move on, and end this man's life, NOW.

"You smile at my wound!? Are you becoming more like me, boy?"

"No… I just love seeing a murderer get treated the way you are… in my book, you've been given the death penalty… and I'm sure Italy, and the world, agree." Cutsman smirked.

"Bring it!" He dashed forward, slicing horizontally with his new arm, only to have Takeshi, amazingly, launch into the air by pressing down on the madman's blade. From there, he copied the red and white one's ability, and sent dozens of his own, blue, spinning blades. Cutsman took the hits, minor gashes appearing on his flesh. He took to the air, sending three clones at Takeshi, all of which in a kicking position. Takeshi moved to the left and dodged them, following up with three more spinning blades, all of which returned after being reflected off of Cutsman's blade. Cutsman began slashing the air as he approached the blue hero, who seemed unimpressed. He ran and slid across the ground, knocking Cutsman down. He quickly got up, spun around, and fired several blasts of blue plasma at him. Unfortunately, he slashed through each of them. From a pile of bodies, the red-clad warrior sat, intrigued. This was getting interesting. Takeshi sent spinning blades flying vertically, horizontally, and diagonally at Cutsman, which he blocked by sending his own toward them in opposite positions. The clanking of metal against metal echoed as they continued their endless fire.

"Fool… doesn't he know his copied abilities aren't limitless?"

"Take this!" Takeshi flipped through the air, encasing his spinning blades in plasma, and sending them slicing through Cutsman's own and through his chest.

"Nice move…" The red one commented silently. Cutsman's wounds were deep… yet he did not bleed. He was beyond that human reflex in most parts…

"That's it! WE END THIS NOW!!!!" 14 clones surrounded Takeshi, all of which charging their spinning blades. This was not good.

"He can't survive all that…" But the red one was wrong; Takeshi had leapt into the air and shot at all of them with his own plasma blasts. The clones faded, while Cutsman staggered backward.

"…You…" Cutsman's energy was fading fast. "LIMITLESS BLADE!!!" His sword gleamed and began to glow with a red aura, and all his damage was converted into energy. "GO TO HELL!!!"

"Ugh…!" Full contact… yet it wasn't with Takeshi. The red one had blocked and reversed the blade backward and into Cutsman's chest, and directly through his core. "Y… you… will… not succeed!" Cutsman wasn't dying easily. He removed the blade and tried again, slashing at Takeshi's head as the red one watched. Takeshi ducked and began his finishing move.

"Have a taste of your own medicine, bastard!" Takeshi punched and at the same time sent a spinning blade directly through Cutsman, killing him instantly.

"You… beat me…!? GUH!" Cutsman began to flash and finally exploded into thousands of miniature explosions, sending chunks of metal about.

"Feh… not bad…" The red one said. "But look at you… clueless and injured… badly, I might ad."

"…Thanks for helping."

"No problem. Remember… you can access Jakob's weapon anytime… but also remember it's limited."

"Why are you helping me, anyway?" A slight breeze pushed his scarf.

"You're as a brother." With that, he was gone; leaving Takeshi to think… but it was interrupted by barking. There was Rush, completely healed! Just another gift from the red one… He climbed aboard and flew off back home.

… … … … …

"Cutsman's dead…" Wily gasped for air.

"Not to worry. It was expected… after all, his goals were not ours… he was a lone star, and the weakest of us. The others shall not fail. "Rockman" will die." Max stepped up beside the man. He was very old… about 200 in age, and was on life support. His throne was his body, several tubes connected to his body and an iron lung over his face. His eyes were the darkest shade of red, and his body was quite raggedy. He wore a white lab-coat, black pants, and a purple shirt beneath. He was bald, mostly, except for on the sides where it parted out in a strange fashion. He also had a thick, gray mustache, mostly covered by his iron lung.

"Forget Rockman!" Wily gasped. "This red one is truly powerful… he must be mine!!"

"Sir! Calm yourself! You're going to have a heart attack!"

"Understood… while Rockman can pose a threat, this red one is in the spotlight for now… I want you to take him in… alive…"

"Yes sir."

"For the most part." Wily cackled and watched as a new warrior beamed in. Electricman, as he had been dubbed. "You know what to do. Lure them in." Unable to speak, the black and yellow robot just teleported away.

… … … … …

The life of a renegade. The red-clad warrior, going about calling himself Alpha, or Prototype Robotic Humanoid, Protoman for short, wandered through the city outskirts. Beyond Tokyo was lush forests and endless coastline… the only thing mucking up his view was that damn fortress Wily had constructed. It was usually silent and a perfect place to hide… but not today. "Hello, "Protoman". My name is Max… and Mr. Wily himself sent me to come capture you. He's quite interested in your knowledge and abilities." Protoman smirked.

"So the old man sent you… he couldn't come get his own creation personally?" Max glared angrily, orbs of fire appearing in his palms.

"Watch it, buddy. He told me to get you by any means necessary. Now come on!"

"No." Max grinned.

"I was hoping you'd say that." He launched three orbs of fire through the air and at Protoman, who neutralized them with his golden plasma blasts. "Feh." Max was unimpressed. "Any weakling can do that… but how about this!?" Copying Protoman's attack by mere sight, he sent fiery versions of Protoman's plasma blasts back at him… they were fizzled out on contact with his shield, however.

"So you can copy abilities too…"

"And that's only the tip of the ice burg…"

… … … … …

Hong Kong, this ancient city untouched by modern times for nearly 40 years remains one of the largest in the world, ever expanding and growing in power. In fact, they were the first to discover Crotos, the space rock very abundant 3 miles below the earth with unimaginable energy in only a gram. Of course, electricity was still used, but Crotos had taken place of all solar and nuclear powered plants and vehicles, and is used as fuel for the sky trains and airplanes. However, wherever electricity was, there was a possibility for overloading… which is exactly what Elecman, or the Thunder Demon as the elder, traditional Chinese called him, intended on helping along. Signs, buildings, street lights; all overloaded by him merely walking by. Bulbs exploding, buildings frying, signs exploding… he never needed to do anything but walk by.

"Halt!" Rubber-clad cops yelled. Why they had rubber suits, no one may ever know, but the fact was they were prepared… somewhat. They fired several bullets, only to have them reflect off the robot's armor and fall to the ground. He seemed to laugh, and sent a blast of electricity at an above freeway, melting its supports, and sent it, cars and all, tumbling atop the police. He then continued on his way… no one else daring to challenge him.

… … … … …

Protoman and Max skid across the ground… neither could make direct contact without sending each other flying or blocking each other. Max shoved his hands inches into the ground, and it began cracking, fire erupting from each miniature hole. He then used the holes to propel himself forward via the arms and delivered a kick to Protoman's shield, sending him flying. "You're quite skilled…" Protoman remarked, wiping the blood from his lip. A minor wound caused by his diamond shaped shield bumping into him.

"I wish I could say the same for you… but your struggling with such weak attack's as these. I can condense any and all fire into any shape, body, or even intelligence I wish. My control over all heat is unimaginable!" His arms encased in fire, they molded into sword shapes and he dashed forward, slicing and spinning through Protoman's thick armor, inflicting moderate burns on his flesh.

"Guh!" Protoman staggered as the flames faded.

"Why must Wily take you as a prize when I can do so much more?" As Max approached, Protoman fazed out of reality, traveling through space and time to another destination… "…" Max was silent, and walked away, burning the area in the process.

End Chapter


	5. V: Aimi Part I: Overload

Disclaimer: Do not own Bullet for my Valentine or the song "Tears Don't Fall".

Chapter V:  
Aimi

Part I: Overload

Let's go!  
With blood shot eyes, I watch you sleeping…  
The warmth I feel beside me is slowly fading…  
Would she hear me, if I called her name?  
Would she hold me, if she knew my shame?

There's always something different going wrong!!!!  
The path I walk is in the wrong direction!!!!!  
There's always someone fcking hanging on!!!!!  
Can anybody help me makes things better?

Your tears don't fall, they crash around me!  
Her conscience calls, the guilty to come home!  
Your tears don't fall, they crash around me!  
Her conscience calls, the guilty to come home!

The moments died, I hear no screaming…  
The visions left inside me are slowly fading…  
Would she hear me, if I called her name?  
Would she hold me, if she knew my shame?

There's always something different going wrong!!!  
The path I walk is in the wrong direction!!  
There's always someone fcking hanging on!!!  
Can anybody help me makes things better!?

Your tears don't fall, they crash around me!  
Her conscience calls, the guilty to come home!  
Your tears don't fall, they crash around me!  
Her conscience calls, the guilty to come home!

This battered room I've seen before…  
These broken bones they heal no more, no more!  
With my last breath I'm choking,  
Will this ever end? I'm hoping!  
My world is over one more time!!

LET'S GO!

Would she hear me, if I called her name?  
Would she hold me, if she knew my shame?

There's always something different going wrong!!!  
The path I walk is in the wrong direction!!  
There's always someone fcking hanging on!!!  
Can anybody help me makes things better?  
Your tears don't fall, they crash around me!  
Her conscience calls, the guilty to come home!  
Your tears don't fall, they crash around me!  
Her conscience calls, the guilty to come home!

BETTER!!!!!!

Your tears don't fall, they crash around me!  
Her conscience calls, the guilty to come home!

… … … … …

The rain pounded heavily on the broken streets of Hong Kong. Smoke rose from every manhole, and electricity jumped across the streets. Underground wiring pulled up, cars flipped, bodies lying in the streets slowly drifting away in the inch of water… and Protoman thought he'd get some peace here. Lucky him. From behind him, he thought heard the clanking of metal feet against the water and concrete… unfortunately, he was right. Hundreds of Elecmen, steel blade over their right shoulder, marching in unison. The fact that such cloning power existed was amazing… and frightening. He quickly tried to escape, but to no avail… he was spotted, and hundreds of electric beams rushed toward him. It was beyond curfew.

… … … … …

Takeshi sighed. Another attack? Why couldn't he get some rest? He saw what Elecman could do… personally… this wasn't going to be easy. He reluctantly called Rush and took off.

… … … … …

Protoman would twist, turn, jump, and flip over slashes, plasma blasts, bullets, and electric beams. Every time he tried firing at the annoyances, an electric barrier would make his blasts faze out of existence. Being without a voice system, Elecman could not speak… so it was only natural his clones couldn't, either. Lightning flashed, as well as the street signs, flashing on and off, on and off… the only illumination. Protoman began charging his blasts, yet still, they fazed on contact with their barrier… Trying something new, he took his shield and dashed forward, head, er, shield first into them, sending one into another, and another, and another… until they began exploding of being overloaded. This should be easy now… Alas, Elecman wasn't going to allow it. Floating above, Elecman sent bolts of electricity so strong that they broke eight feet into the ground at the red one. A clone slashed from the left with an electrically charged metal blade, which made contact with his back and sent him flying through a nearby building.

… … … … …

When Takeshi arrived, it was chaos. Bodies widely scattered about, earth lowered thirty feet at a time, subways revealed to open air, rain pouring relentlessly, fires breaking out… a truly horrible sight. Cautiously, seeing no other way into the city, he walked into the nearest subway. It too was a wreck. Cars thrown about, electricity flowing openly into the three inches of water on the floor, bodies trapped in, flung over, and shoved through railing and cars. Sparks flying everywhere, Takeshi had to be careful not to get shocked to death. Scattered about, he saw green and red eyes watching him, pick axes in hand as they began tearing away at the tunnel. Mettaur. And some nasty looking ones at that. They quickly mobilized and began their attack.

… … … … …

High above, overlooking Ameroupe City, the teenage woman sat in her frozen throne, bored. Her head resting on her left hand, she pressed a button on her chair, and in response, a large holographic screen popped up. From behind Takeshi, a hidden, flying, bat-like robot was giving live feed to all of Wily's warriors. Such an interesting picture… Such a young, inexperience teen fighting his way through hordes of Mettaur and Elecman clones. "Who's this…?" She smiled. "How powerful... and he's cute, to boot." She chuckled. A full human walked in, wearing an outfit you'd expect Eskimos to be wearing.

"You called, madam?"

"Yes… Who is this kid? Identify him."

"This is Rockman, my liege. He has been fighting your kind for a few days now…"

"…I see." She said, sighing. "I must meet him…"

… … … … …

Takeshi finished the last clone, and threw its fading body atop a pile of busted Mettaurs. He sighed and lowered his buster, hoping that the ambush was over… when something in the shadows caught his eye. "…Again?" He raised his buster and waited for it to step into the dim light. When it did, he noticed that this was the body of a female… a beautiful one, at that. She was clad in a dim blue Eskimo-like outfit, since she'd always be in freezing climates, with white fur around the hood, end of the coat, sleeves, and pant legs. She was Caucasian in appearance, and had ice-blue hair to match her ocean-blue eyes. She smiled seductively, her hood behind her, hanging loosely, her brown leather boots clicking against the concrete, and soon, ice. He looked down at his feet to see the water freezing on contact, creating an icy path… just for her. He gulped slightly and began charging his blaster; this was no normal girl…

"Don't be alarmed… I'm not like the others." She said, stopping and lifting his chin with her soft finger. "Unlike them, I never asked for these abilities… or to serve that old coot." Takeshi lowered his blaster and stepped back into the shadows, hoping to hide his blush. Never once had such a beautiful girl talked to him in that tone. "I can see you, you know. Infra red vision."

"S… so you're one of them…?"

"Not willingly. The old bag found me, offered me new life, and threw in these abilities and a contract behind my back. I have no choice but to serve him until I die… but that doesn't mean I haven't searched for help. There was another one like you… only red. He was quite the help… but failed when brother learned about what was going on."

"…" Takeshi was silent. "You don't have to serve him." He stepped forward.

"You don't get it, do you? He knows where my family is. He knows where I came from. He knows all I love… he also has control over if I should live or die. I would fight against him, if he didn't have such knowledge… otherwise, he'd send _him_ out. He's big, ugly, and not the kindest fella… not the brightest bulb, either."

"Sounds like someone I knew…" Takeshi muttered.

"Takeshi, isn't it? I'm Aimi."

"H, hi…" He shook her hand, feeling like a moron.

"I can't help you directly… but I can tell you something… Sparky isn't so friendly with himself. He can stand his own abilities. If you could somehow reverse them, I'm sure he wouldn't be able to stand it…" Her body was sleek and she was the same height as Takeshi, and he found himself staring more than listening, but snapped out of it and nodded. A light flashing on her wrist, and she had to leave. "…He's wondering where I am… I've gotta go…" With that, she disappeared, fazing out of existence.

"Why can't I do that?!"

… … … … …

Protoman had finished off the clones… but it was just his luck to have the real one on his back, now. He quickly leapt away as three blasts of electricity zoomed by. He quickly landed and flipped about, delivering a powerful flying kick to his head. Unlike the copies, he had no barrier… but he did have Cutsman's regenerative ability. Quickly, he spun around, sending Protoman flying by disrupting his landing. Protoman was literally shocked as he flew into a bunch of live wires. With the rain pouring as heavily as it was, Elecman and all exposed electric were doubled in power. "Hey!" Elecman turned, to see Takeshi sending several of Cutsman's spinning blades at him. Attempting to destroy them, the pure robot zapped them with an electric blast… only to have its metal properties changed to electrical on collision. He began shaking and was sent flying into a nearby building. But Takeshi wasn't done yet. He sent thirteen more flying toward the electric based robot, followed by a large charged blast of plasma. As Elecman struggled to get up, he was completely destroyed by a large spike of pure, electrically charged ice shoving its way through his core. As he began to shake, the ice drenching itself in water, giving the sparks on his body even MORE power against him, he collapsed into himself and finally exploded outward like a dying star, in a miniature supernova. As Takeshi pulled Protoman from the wires, the red clad warrior couldn't help but stare at the feminine figure fleeing from the scene in a hurry… perhaps too much of a hurry. Was that blast meant for Elecman? Was it meant for him? Or even Takeshi? He may never know… but he did know she shouldn't have been there.

… … … … …

As he flew home on Rush, Takeshi began to wonder… why was Protoman there? Why did Aimi save him? Questions, questions… his thoughts were quickly interrupted, however, by a call from behind. "Takeshi! Omaesan!" He told rush to slow a bit, and found Aimi, skating by on a strip of ice.

"Wh…a?"

"I never got my thank you, you know!" She joked. He smiled.

"Why, though. Wily'll…"

"No. That old man doesn't watch anything… he relies on my brother to tell him the news. And I'm sure that he'll protect me… after all, he owes me."

"…" Takeshi was silent. "Gurache." He said. Aimi smiled and slowed down, allowing Takeshi to be on his way. But from behind, she began to wonder… was this all worth it?


	6. VI: Aimi Part II: Fire

"Why him…" Aimi said, moving a solid Ice figurine of Takeshi on a chess board, closer to hers… "…Why?"

Chapter VI:  
Aimi

Part II: Fire

Takeshi stood on his balcony, looking at the stars. Such a beautiful night… the gentle wind slowly caressed his cheek and the sound of the sea lightly splashing against the rocky shore calmed him even more. Nothing could make this night better… the sky was the perfect shade of blue, and a few shooting stars flashed across. Cold… Takeshi spun around, to see that Aimi was now only a few feet away from him, also staring at the nighttime sky. "I miss the old days… when I used to come to this exact spot and watch the sky… before this lab was here." Takeshi looked back to the sky.

"It is a beautiful sight…" He sighed. "Won't Wily…" Aimi put her gloved index finger to his lips.

"No. Everything's quiet today, so he gave us the choice to either watch over our domains, or just roam around unnoticed by the public." Takeshi was surprised, making Aimi chuckle. "He isn't all evil, you know." He nodded, his eyes feeling heavier, and a yawn escaping him. "…Tired?" Takeshi nodded. "Perhaps I should head back then…" Takeshi was silent for a moment as she climbed atop the balcony and formed an ice disc to ride back to Ameroupe.

"Its getting a bit dark… maybe you should wait 'til morning to head back… I'm sure there's a spare room somewhere…" He trailed off. Aimi jumped down and kissed his cheek, allowing her ice disc to fall and shatter quietly on the ground.

"Arigato." She said, grinning. She then stepped into his room, leaving him for a few more moments to marvel at the skies...

… … … … …

Takeshi glided across the sunrise-lit New Tokyo City… nothing was more beautiful. He noticed a few people on the eastern beach, quietly watching the sun rise above the sparkling cerulean waters, its beautiful golden rays reflecting off its wavy surface. Such a beautiful morning… yet it could not compare to the night that led up to the day. He still couldn't figure out how Aimi got him to allow her to sleep with him… yet he didn't care… there was something about her… something that he loved. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath from his nose, taking in the crisp morning air. As he glanced behind, he noticed Aimi was not far behind. "I didn't know you were up yet." He looked back in front of him.

"I've been up for a while now… don't you think people'd think it's strange to see a normal teenager riding around across the sky on a transforming robotic dog?" She said, obviously noticing the fact that he didn't put on his battle armor, but remained in normal clothes. He laughed.

"Don't you think people'd think it's strange that a normal teenage girl riding around on a disc of ice?"

"Point taken." She said. She had left her coat back in his room, and remembered that she should have been back in Ameroupe last night… "…Unfortunately, I need to head back to Ameroupe… Wily would get suspicious if I wasn't back at my post any later than 9:00 P.M. tonight." He nodded.

"I understand…" He sighed. He did a quick barrel-roll and turned back to the lab, his newfound home.

… … … … …

Takeshi sat bored on his bed, knees in his chest, while simultaneously, on the other half of the world, Aimi sat bored upon her throne. They really seemed to enjoy each other's company… and both of them were experiencing something new… a feeling inside that just made them want to throw up… was this… love? No… Aimi couldn't let this get in the way of her duties, and neither could Takeshi. It could mean life or death… and Aimi would rather live. "How is the infiltration…?" Wily gasped for air.

"Fine…" Aimi said, annoyed. "He doesn't suspect anything…"

"You seem annoyed, Aimi… have you…" Wily inhaled dryly. "…Forgotten the mission?"

"…No, its just…"

"What? Lil' sis, have you forgotten that this is a mere façade?" Max was now the one on screen.

"No… but what if…"

"What? What if what?"

"……Nothing." With that, Aimi disconnected and sat bored once more… she didn't want to do this anymore.

… … … … …

"Protoman and the so called Fireman are now bitter enemies, and have burned nearly every major forest in Japan! They continued their heated battle now in Japan Natural Forest and Wildlife Reserve. The officials, seeing them come from miles away, had them all moved to an underground chamber… where hopefully, these near-extinct species would survive." People could only watch as the two cyborgs battled, one armored, one completely exposed in his standard clothes.

"JUST BURN ALREADY!!!" Max shot forth large, horizontal fire pillars from his hands, only to have them blocked by Protoman's large shield.

"Give up, Max…"

"I'm not Max anymore, Satoshi… I'm not your friend…" Max grinned. "They're calling me The Fireman… and so that is what I shall be…" Max exploded into flames, fire shooting forth in every direction and every spectator burning in a matter of seconds while Protoman hid beneath his shield.

"So… hot..." Max grinned, as he seemed to be vaporized in his own heat… alas, it would not be. He appeared atop a large stone pillar a few feet away, its heat melting his shoes, but easing his sore feet. Protoman had had enough. As the last wave of fire approached, he shoved it away with his shield, and dashed madly toward Max. Once an old friend, now a sworn enemy… Appearing around him with several teleports, he finally stopped teleporting behind him and punched with his buster, plasma and thunder combining into a single blast. The electricity was so hot, even the fire began to seemingly burn brighter at its heat. The flames finally disappearing, the wreckage was revealed… no grass… no trees… no nothing. Just a huge crater of dirt… not even the underground facilities and species survived. Protoman clenched his fist. "MAAAAX!!!!!!!!" He teleported now above Max, slamming him down with another buster punch, his face cracking on impact. Metal and paint shards flew by Protoman as Max fell to the ground, unable to move, or even teleport. The angry, red-clad warrior landed on Max's chest, a few sparks flying by on contact. But something was wrong… his shoes had melted… yet they now appeared perfect… and Max's bones were much stronger than Protoman's, they shouldn't have shattered…

"Hello again." The real Max appeared behind Protoman, and sent him flying with a fireball to the back. "I've grown bored of you… you're too easy to fool… didn't you notice me get replaced before you hit me with that first blast? Or is a millisecond to fast for you?" His hand now magma and rock, Max set the entire crater ablaze, boiling Protoman on contact. Such heat… as Max walked on top of the magma now filling the crater, he laughed. He laughed like he hadn't laughed before… he laughed a laugh of regret… with the job done, he disappeared back to the offshore, manmade, Island… Wily's Base of Operations.

END CHAPTER


	7. VII: Aimi Part III: Ice

The smoke filled winds gently blew through the former forest, the only light, and calm, coming from the moon and stars high above on this dark summer night… Not even a cricket's chirping was heard, it was so barren, so burnt. Even though the magma quickly cooled into volcanic rock, insects and mammals found it too hot, too barren, to even look at.

Movement.

Pebbles shook gently, on and off, as the ground warped. Slowly, it cracked and eventually broke, still soft. A burnt Protoman slowly arose, smoke and steam arising from him, and soot covering his body. Thankfully, his flesh could resist extreme heat, so he wasn't seriously injured. Thankfully, though his left shade had shattered, it shattered outward, and nothing hit his eyes. He panted, struggling to stay up, his shield white hot and soot-covered, ready to snap at the next blow. "Max…" He said, struggling to walk off into the city.

Chapter VII:  
Aimi

Part III:  
Ice

Three knocks.

Takeshi got up and answered his door, to find Dr. Light panting and worried at the hall, leaning against the doorway. Apparently he was running… "Takeshi… there's someone I think you should meet… he needs your help." Takeshi nodded and followed him down to the basement floor, Light's lab.

… … … … …

Protoman laid there on the examining table, the humming of florescent lights the only sound. The whitish light burned his face and armor… he was more sensitive to heat then even a human should be, now.

Footsteps.

Thomas and Takeshi walked in; Takeshi wide eyed, and Thomas working hard on something on the table. Was this…? "Takeshi, meet Satoshi Blek. He is your prototype… like a brother." Satoshi… Satoshi was alive? And helping him…?

"Can you just repair me and let me go already?" He asked. Thomas was silent.

"No… you know that I must keep you here… you shouldn't have run off like…"

"I don't care." Satoshi said, polishing his helmet, and putting it on. "All I care about is getting back out there, and not staying trapped in here like a lab rat!" Thomas sighed.

"You know that I can't!" Takeshi was silent… what was wrong with Satoshi? "…I'm done here. Just plug this into your arm. It should repair any circuit damage." Thomas said silently, walking out the door. Satoshi was silent and plugged it into a nearly invisible port in his shoulder.

… … … … …

Satoshi stood atop the lab, looking down on the neighboring forests, the battle with Max, er, Fireman haunting him at the sight of the trees… he closed his eyes beneath his sunglasses and exhaled. Temporary rest was always welcome… but not here… he couldn't stand this place… He noticed that the lights were off, so everyone must've been asleep… it was now or never… he jumped off the ledge of the roof and ran off… like he always did…

… … … … …

Aimi looked at her chess board. Another city conquered… she melted the country of Africa's piece with her mind, and looked back at Japan and Ameroupe. Was this worth it? No… she had to get these thoughts out of her head… it was too late for him and her… this was just a game, right? Right…? Right… just another game…

… … … … …

A cold chill passed by Takeshi as he stared at the stars… he knew who that was. "I'm not letting you sleep with me again, Aimi." The girl chuckled.

"Don't worry. I just came to visit…" Takeshi smiled and closed his eyes. "Besides, I thought you'd have liked it. Ah well." She slid up to him and rested her head on his shoulder. He blushed slightly, but ultimately pulled her closer with his left arm.

"Heh…" He opened his eyes, chuckling slightly. "Who would've guessed my girl friend would end up being the hot Mistress of Ice?" The two chuckled and sighed. Another beautiful night… it hadn't rained in days… and though Takeshi didn't mind, it struck him as odd… he ignored it and returned to his thoughts, and rest, with Aimi. "Heh… I never thought I'd actually say this… but I think…"

"No need to continue." Aimi said, pressing her finger against his lips. "I already know… and I feel the same…" She trailed off.

"What's wrong?" Takeshi asked.

"That's just the problem… I feel the same…" With that, she took off, back for Ameroupe at unbelievably high speed, leaving Takeshi to think… what did she mean?

… … … … …

She slashed through hordes of robots with a beam of ice, sending the upper halves into Elecman and Cutsman clones behind the front line. She had quit. She had had enough… and this for her is her reward. "You'll pay for disobeying me!!!" The old man screamed over the monitor behind her, hidden in shadows… Aimi spun through the air, sending blasts of ice into clones, having them explode for piercing of the core.

"I can't live a lie! I actually love him… I can't hurt him… I can't do this!"

"Obedience is the key to survival in my world… for disobedience, you shall die!" Shaking… oh God no… he couldn't have told him to come!

"Kakashi…" The ground exploded as the behemoth came blasting through with his fists, crushing the robot army as he appeared. Aimi had to leave… and quick! There was no way she could fight him! She created a 40 foot thick ice wall, strong enough to hold him back for a good ten seconds… which was all she needed to escape. With the creation of an ice disc, she flew off as the ice shattered… Kakashi couldn't get her now.

… … … … …

As Takeshi lay on the roof, looking at the sunset, he noticed something… no… someone… Aimi crashed into the roof full speed, making the building shake slightly. Takeshi quickly ran over to her, nearly slipping off the roof, and scooped her into her arms. She was hurt… icicles fell from the sky. Apparently, she was hit by something… she was covered in soot. He couldn't just leave her here… he held her close and jumped to the ground and ran in to tell Thomas.

… … … … …

"WHAT!? You brought one of Wily's Numbers to my lab!?" Takeshi snarled.

"She's not like them… she told me herself she didn't want to be a part of tha…"

"Hasn't it occurred to you that she could be lying?"

"I DON'T CARE! She needs help… and if you won't, I'll find someone else… there's no way you and Wily were the only ones working on such advanced robotics." Thomas sighed, defeated.

"Fine." He picked her up and put her on the examining table, scanning her skeletal system. As the results came back seconds later, Thomas stood stunned and breath taken. "Such advanced technology… far beyond what I ever dreamed of creating… Wily… just what have you created here…?"

… … … … …

"Playing with fire isn't a good idea…" A large robot said. His face was concealed by a steel bucket-like chin and the rest by a Mettaur helmet. His armor had to be a foot thick, and several weapons were hidden in it. He was clad in red and yellow mainly, but had two foot thick, black chest armor. He truly was a behemoth, standing at almost ten feet tall. He was the unstoppable one, and Conqueror of New Japan: Kakashi.

"Moron… haven't you heard? I'm the Fireman! I have full control over fire…" Max said, tossing a ball of fire up and down like a softball. "Meaning I cannot be harmed by its amusing properties."

"Your sister has deserted us… what do you intend to do, Maxwell?" Max crushed the ball in his hand.

"Don't you EVER call me Maxwell. I know what she did. And don't worry, family or not, she will pay… by my hands, of course."

"I doubt you of all people could kill her. Like it or not we have humanity left within somewhere… and its human nature to protect family."

… … … … …

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick tock… a bird flung from the lower center section of the clock, providing the only sound in the solitude of the small man's office. On his desk was a nameplate made of Red Wood and Marble, with the title: Royal Advisor: Goro M. X. An unusual last name, and he was usually referred to as 'Mr. X'. He snarled, hands folded before him and arms as the table, as the images of Rockman saving lives played and rewound in an endless loop. He pressed an orange button and spoke into a microphone to his left. "Mizuki… call Haru. Tell him its time to begin project Bombman."

"Yes sir." The strong, feminine voice responded. The man got to his feet, revealing himself to only be 4ft 3, and walked to the door. Slowly walking down the halls, he walked to a large steel door with caution marks on the bottom and pushed it open. He was greeted by a man in black jeans and a blue dress shirt and white lab coat. His eyes were blue and his hair blond, met with a full blond mustache, side burn, beard combo. He stood towering over Mr. X by over a foot and a half, and handed him papers.

"I've already prepared him. I've been waiting for this day to arrive, and leapt at the chance to activate him. He's through the door to your right."

"Thank you, Haru." He entered the doors and found a twelve foot robot clad in gold and red armor awaiting him, several robotic arms and men equipping him with more armor, supplies, and working on his 'brain'.

"Mr. Bombman is almost complete. We just need to program him and finish supplying him with the ingredients needed to create bombs. In the palms of his hands are holes which dispense bombs endlessly until a refill of ingredients is needed, after an exact total of 16,000 bombs have been created and used. He is equipped with diamond enforced steel and meteorite armor and space shuttle force jets, and the most advanced AI program available, rivaling that of Wily and Light, even."

"Excellent… program him to destroy all robots and cyborgs, ending with himself."

"Yes sir. Anything else?"

"Yes… have it eradicate Rockman first."

End Chapter

MAJOR update. Well, we're all caught up now here. I hope you enjoyed the cliffy!


	8. VIII: Aimi Part IV: Soul of Fire

The men scattered.

The arms were disabled.

The diagnostics ended.

Project Bombman was complete…

The large robot's eyes flashed open, glowing red, and he looked down at the small Mr. X, a third of his size. "Go, my creation! Go and eliminate Rockman…!" The Robot looked up and in a large explosion; the behemoth took off, the force and sound of his jets sending Mr. X flying into a wall. He laughed and laughed, happy with his creation. Such power… there was no way… no way "Rockman" could withstand the force of a million bombs!

Chapter VIII:

Aimi

Part IV:

Soul of Fire

Takeshi yawned and lay back in his bed, flipping on the TV and browsing through the channels, clad in the pants of a pajama set. It'd been two weeks since anything big happened, and Dr. Light was starting to trust Aimi… but not completely. He still thought that this was a trick…

Two knocks.

The door slid open and Aimi walked in, a cheerful smile on her face. She fell onto the bed next to the teen and chuckled. "Its two PM and you're still not up and dressed?"

"No need. Not like anything big's gonna happen, right?"

"Well, we don't know for sure… but…" Takeshi rolled to his side and pulled Aimi close, smiling.

"Aw come on… can't a hero get some rest?" The two chuckled and ultimately got up, after sharing a brief kiss.

… … … … …

Such a strange Cyborg… so much more advanced than the others… always hiding in shadows… who was he? The remaining warriors of Wily, sans Max, always had the mysterious man on their mind… he was always just barely hidden in the shadows. "It seems Mr. X wants to become a problem… this Bombman is sure to be a threat." The shadowed figure said, his chest flashing red.

"Patience, Katsu... all good things come in time. I want to see… how Takeshi handles this Government funded…" The old man known as Wily inhaled deeply and sharply, concealed in shadow as well. "War machine…" He finished.

"Hmph. As you wish, Master…" Katsu said, leaning against the wall.

… … … … …

Love. What a feeling. What a sound. What a gift… Takeshi fell onto the grass, the wind ever-so-slightly caressing his face, and slightly speeding up the only cloud in the sky. How strange, this high temperature… usually it was cool around here. But he wasn't complaining. Some eighty degree temperature could do him good. He rubbed his temples, suffering from a slight headache, and fell into the grass behind him. Clad in his normal clothes, he was pretty much unnoticed… which was nice. He didn't need the Paparazzi on his tail all the time.

Explosions.

Close ones, too… he quickly jumped up, eyes wide, and turned to see smoke behind him, in the middle of the city. He summoned his armor, and ran off toward the large metropolis.

… … … … …

"FIRE AT WILL!" The military was now involved, completely unaware of the monster's origin, blasting it with tanks and discussing whether or not to drop bombs on it. The large bullets vaporized on contact with the robots armor, merely creating soot marks on it. "Damn it… nothing's working…" As if on cue, Takeshi appeared as a silhouette in the sunlight, leaping from a building, and in front of the large, mechanized monstrosity.

"Heh… so you're his latest creation? Show me what you've got." The armored cyborg ran at the Bombman, as the citizens called it, and began firing plasma bullets at it, causing little damage.

The commander of the squadron signaled for his men to stand down. It was up to Rockman now. "But sir…!"

"I said stand down! If he can't take him down… if he can't take him down we'll have no choice. Now let a hero do his job!"

Bombman screamed, his battle cry, the sound so loud that weaker buildings began to crumble. Takeshi stood his ground though, clinging to the ground with his magnetic boots. When it ceased, Takeshi leapt high into the air, flipping and firing several bullets at Bombman, who swung his arm back at the blue hero, making contact. Takeshi saw the arm coming and grabbed it, twisting off it as if it were a flagpole.

The way Bombman saw things, Takeshi was a mere human, and of no threat… but this would be proved wrong, as he copied the ability of Elecman, frying his sensors. The behemoth screamed, and Takeshi's armor slowly began to change yellow and black to match his ability. With a small sonic boom, Takeshi sent himself eighteen feet in a matter of milliseconds and delivered an electrically charged fist to Bombman's chest, making a large impact crater and sending him to the ground.

"How's that?" He asked the voiceless robot. It responded quickly however, pushing off the ground with his hands and twisting mid air, spitting bombs from holes in his feet at Takeshi. The blue one's eyes widened, and he rolled on the ground, away from the explosions which soon followed the black orbs, narrowly escaping them. The robot landed on the ground with perfect balance, the hydraulics in its legs and torso wushing loudly. Takeshi tried to catch his breath… even now it was hard running from bombs. How was this thing so agile, anyway? It's too heavily armored…

"How's that?" Bombman repeated Takeshi, and ran at him, pulling his left arm back for a punch. Takeshi twisted around, and as the fist came at him, he slammed it down with his hands, leapt off the right one, now coming at him from the side, and repeatedly kicked the robot's head, sending it into a backward fall, inch by inch. Finally losing its balance, it fell to the ground, and used one of its own bombs to get back up, revealing to the military that it was impervious to bombs… or at least the ones he uses.

The General looked away in disgust. He and his squad was useless now… "Remove from standby. Bombs have no effect." He warned. The fighter pilots above confirmed his order, and headed back to base.

Takeshi snarled, and rushed back at the robot, this time launching one of Cutsman's scissor-like boomerangs at it. It succeeded in cutting off its left arm… but shattered soon after. Takeshi tried again, but as Bombman's body flashed, it became apparent that he adapted, the attack bouncing off.

"So you can adapt… very resourceful. Looks like its time for something new. Rush!" The recently repaired dog barked, jumping through a building's window, now clad in a chrome-crimson armor. "Time for a little tag teaming! Ready?" The dog barked in reply, and the two launched themselves at Bombman, spinning like drills. The large robot was caught off guard, and sent flying into a building, two new craters creating a triangle pattern on his chest. But they weren't done yet… as the robot got up, Takeshi was holding onto Jet Rush, and delivered a kick into the first crater at over three hundred mph, turning it into a large hole. Bombman looked at him, snarling, and plugged it up with a stone bomb, throwing Takeshi away with ease. Takeshi decided to give the robot a taste of its own medicine, unaware of the warning of earlier, and sent several bombs at the behemoth.

"Bombs have no effect." It said, smashing the ground with a fist with such strength that the ground around him arose like pillars, sending Takeshi high into the air.

From atop a building, about nine hundred feet away, X stood, watching the battle. He smirked, closing his eyes. "Even if he manages to defeat Bombman… I can rebuild him. Bigger… better… smarter… he will always adapt, "Rockman"!"

Takeshi used the jets on his boots and slammed into the robot's head with his own head, sending it staggering backward. It caught itself on a building, and was then… frozen in place? Ice encased the robot's feet, as Aimi leapt from her frozen disc. She smiled and stood next to Takeshi, now atop a pillar which was slowly lowering back into the ground. "You didn't think I'd let YOU have all the fun, did ya?"

"Of course not. Rush, return home!" The dog barked, disappearing as a beam of light into the sky. Bombman arose, and copied Takeshi's jet ability, rushing through the pillars and severing them from their base! Takeshi jumped to the ground as Aimi took to the air, firing blasts of ice at the robot, piercing its armor. It roared, and picked up its arm, re-connecting it to his body! Fully functional, he began plugging the holes with bombs, which forced Aimi to stop her barrage. He was a ticking time bomb…

"Takeshi! Run!" She yelled. Bombman created several hundred bombs around him, the fuses lighting automatically. Takeshi didn't obey however, and began running toward the robot with anger. Bombman made no attempt to move, and as Takeshi's fist made contact, he was sent flying by an explosion, which set off another bomb, and another bomb! The robots body was severely damaged now, all the bombs placed within detonated, while the ones on the ground continued to get closer and closer to detonation.

"No… I can take him!"

"You don't get it. There's enough firepower there to level this whole quarter of Tokyo! And if he keeps adding…"

"…" Takeshi scoffed. "Now what?"

"Now you run. I think I can contain it." Takeshi refused.

"No. If it doesn't work…"

"It will. Trust me." Aimi floated down beside Takeshi, a sure look in her eyes.

Takeshi was silent.

"…Fine…" He sighed. Aimi grinned, and began forming a dome around the battered and broken robot, growing closer and closer to thicken the walls. She knew it wouldn't work. It could only contain the blast to this block… she knew she wouldn't make it out alive… but she didn't care. This was her chance to be an actual hero. As Takeshi ran off, the bombs began to detonate, and the area shook. As the inner walls began collapsing, the girl put even more energy into the dome, sucking the moisture from the air and releasing it as frozen rays. But there was only so much. The smoke drove the air dry, and she eventually ran out of her source of power… from her current position, she was directly above the dome's center, and fell on its top, unable to move… as the bombs exploded one after another in a domino effect, the ice shattered, and she fell into the blast… limp… Takeshi, still running, was sent flipping through the air, along with the soldiers and tanks, and various other cars and items. One, two, three buildings he flew through, until he finally stopped on the fourth, creating a small crater in its wall. His eyes widened as he saw the fires, and dashed into the flames and smoke, unable to see… to breathe… everything was fading as he suffocated, falling to the ground, unconscious….

… … … … …

Takeshi awoke in his room, bandaged, with an oxygen tank and mask, beside him. "What…?" He remembered the battle with Bombman, and flipped on the news. Did they find Aimi? Was the robot really dead?

"…And this is the scene post battle. Rockman, later followed by a dog and female companion, fought valiantly against a massive robot, capable of creating bombs endlessly. The robot was supposedly impervious to his own blasts, yet was reported destroyed in the final blast by Mr. X, who headed the recovery team. According to him, all that was found were burnt steel scattered about the crater." The camera shifted to a helicopter view, where the two-block large crater was easily seen, completely barren and charred. Takeshi turned off the TV. He knew she was dead… there was no way she could survive that explosion. It was impossible. Impossible… he closed his eyes, placed the remote beside him, and silently cried…

… … … … …

"Is he fixable?"

"Yes sir. Bombman is already in repair."

"Excellent… next time, that annoyance won't be so lucky…" Mr. X turned his chair to his massive window, and watched the sunset as always…

… … … … …

Silence… the wind gently blew through the crater, cooling the warm, midnight air… hydraulics. The sound of metal clicking against stone echoed, as a single arm dragged itself out, slowly regenerating. It dragged itself away with its fingers, headed toward the rubble of an apartment complex, slowly growing back into a full body…

END CHAPTER

Gah… probably not my best… ah well. Thus the Aimi saga ends… next up, Gutsman!


	9. IX: Incredible Guts Part I: Mad Bomber

My hands are broken,  
and time is going on and on it goes,  
forever (how long?)  
So I got high and,  
lived all that life  
that I have taken all for granted

Promise me you'll try,  
to leave it all behind  
'Cause I've elected hell,  
lying to myself  
Why have I gone blind?  
Live another life

You

You

The only way out  
is letting your guard down and never die  
forgotten (I know)  
Forgive me my love  
I stand here all alone  
And I can see the bottom

Promise me you'll try,  
to leave it all behind  
'Cause I've elected hell,  
lying to myself  
Why have I gone blind?  
Live another life

You

You

You  
You

You  
You

Chapter IX  
Incredible Guts

Part I:  
Mad Bomber

"So it seems we have some competition." Max begun, watching the news broadcasts of the whole Bombman incident.

"Hrk…!" Wily yelped in pain as he gasped for more oxygen. Max handed the old one an oxygen mask, and allowed him to breathe. "Competition? Hardly… merely… cheap knockoffs…" He gasped once more, Max still holding the mask to Wily's face. "I provided… funding… he provided… assistance… it was the… deal…" He finished. Max removed the mask. "Max. Its time… we have to… prepare. Soon, Kakashi will… be destroyed… my body is too… old… we must be ready for… the trans…plant…" He said.

Max grinned. "But of course. Surely "Bombman" is being upgraded as we speak, and once he destroys Takeshi, that rat Mr. X will most likely send him here, to our base."

"Minor… setbacks… Kakashi will… deal with Bombman first… get on… the kid's good side…"

"Whatever, geezer. I'll go alert Kakashi to his assignment." He snapped his fingers, and a ball of flame split from his body, slowly forming a fiery clone of Max. Given a few more seconds, its appearance shifted to that of the original, and it was then sent to Kakashi's room.

xXx

"Fire!" Several fighter jets unleashed legions of bombs and gunfire upon Wily's base of operations, a manmade Island that was slowly crawling its way to mainland Japan. However, the base itself was a massive robot! It returned fire with flying Mettaurs, gunfire, plasma cannons, and its ultimate defensive cyborg, a yellowish floating blob with a single, red eye. Several planes went down, being replaced with several more. The Mettaurs being shot down rather quickly, it was left to the blob to defend the massive living base.

Blinking, it sent off various square chunks, each cube being formed by eight, smaller, spherical blobs just like it. Once connecting to the fighter planes, the chunks engulfed them slowly then crushed them, taking them in as fuel and extra defense. Once eight jets were taken out, the blob reformed. This time, it opened its "mouth" and launched various parts of the crushed jets out as weapons of debris, taking down all but one aircraft.

The remaining jet quickly disengaged the enemy and headed back to the military base on the shore without resistance from the blob. Wily wanted them to know his power… he was far superior.

xXx

"A robotic bomb maker? Those military fools… a true bomber has to have human thought capabilities. He has to be able to make rash, seemingly irresponsible decisions to get his job done, to be able to assess the situation at hand most properly." The 23-year-old man finished tinkering with the bomb on his table. It was his latest design: A bomb able to stick onto any substance, as well as drill into walls. With a blast radius of several hundred feet, it also had range on its side for such a compact item. "To think they fired me for that thing, a walking bomb factory! Ha! I'll show them what a real bomb can do…" He grinned, walking out his door, carrying a backpack of eight of his custom bombs with him.

xXx

Another morning. Another headache. Another night passed partying to try and forget her, forget the pain. He held his head. Another hangover… same routine, every day…

He took some aspirin and walked out onto his balcony as usual, and just sat there. Staring seemingly nowhere…

"How long?" He asked. It'd been a week since the incident, and the media was still covering the story. He was just trying to forget all of it. It hurt too much… far too much.

"Takeshi…" He awoke from his trance, looking back at the doctor, who'd just entered his room. "Its back."

His eyes widened.

How… how could that be!? She gave her life to kill it! How…

"…" He remained silent. The look in his eyes told the story. He ran off and suited up, heading for New Tokyo and, ultimately, Bombman.

From nearby, Satoshi kept an eye on his "brother". He knew very well the emotional pain that Takeshi felt, for it was a pain he dealt with all the time. "And it comes to be that the light at the end of your tunnel was just a freight train coming your way." He quoted. "It is the way of life, Takeshi. It is the life of one who battles for whatever he thinks is Justice. Loss will follow you like your shadow… the idea is to live with it. To control the emotions you feel…" He told himself. He knew very well that Takeshi could not and would not hear him. Closing his eyes, he stealthily followed him.

Now in his Rockman armor, he was apparently acting an pure emotion; he was not only running faster than Satoshi thought he could, but he forgot Rush, which would've gotten him to Bombman's location even faster.

xXx

"I thought project Bombman was funded by Dr. Wily."

"Oh, it was, Kakashi. Once completed, however, Mr. X betrayed us. He cut Wily's funding with the completed Bombman Alpha model and proceeded to use it on Rockman, like he had planned, but also stated that he would use it against us. You know how Wily doesn't like having competition OR enemies. The good doctor has decided to send you to eradicate this new, minor threat, since he requires my constant assistance."

"Why not just send one of your clones, Max? You seem to be getting better with forming them…"

"Because the doctor's orders were to have you eliminate Bombman and get on Takeshi's good side."

"Takeshi…?"

"Yes, Kakashi. Takeshi. That little twerp is Rockman."

"Why wasn't I told?!"

"Because the doctor knew how you'd react." The clone Max laughed, a smirk now on his face. "Since you know Takeshi, once you help him take out Bombman, you will get on his good side… do as Aimi tried. He's bound to be a bit more trustworthy after her."

The massive cyborg nodded, and began walking toward the exit. "Oh, and Kakashi," The massive one turned. "Don't let us down."

xXx

The scene was far different from last time. Bombman was back in the crater he'd left behind previously, the area deserted as ever. This time, however, he wasn't destroying anything, nor was there any military interference. He just stood there, waiting. "Rock… Man…" He said.

"Over here, you giant bastard." Takeshi snarled.

Finally…

Bombman turned to face his opponent. He could tell with his upgraded intelligence that Rockman was not at the top of his game… he was depressed, hung over, and altogether a mess. "Today you shall die." Bombman stated. Two rocket launchers arose from his shoulders, a new feature for the cyborg, while Rockman stood his ground.

Firing off the rockets held on the right launcher, Rockman somersaulted out of the way, firing off his blaster at the robot, the plasma bullets having no effect.

As expected.

Flashbacks of Aimi entered his mind… oh the pain he felt, deep inside his heart. He could barely concentrate, and was caught off guard by the second barrage of small missiles, which hit his chest dead on. He was flung backward into debris, a small trail of blood coming from his mouth… but he wasn't done yet. "HHHHHHRRRRRAAAAAHHHHH!" He screamed, running as fast as he possibly could toward the robot. "You BASTARD!!" He pulled back his fist to deliver a punch, but coughed up blood three feet from his opponent.

Bombman's fist reached Takeshi's stomach first.

Being thrown into the air like a rag doll by the impact, he was stunned with pain, struggling to catch his breath. Before he could regain composure, however, the behemoth of a robot had jumped into the air. He delivered a barrage of three more punches to Takeshi's stomach and a kick to his head, sending the blue one spinning like a sideways drill into the crater, creating a small dent as he hit the ground. Struggling to get up, he was shoved deeper into the crater by Bombman's right fist, which had detached from his body and, via jets, propelled itself like a drill into Takeshi.

Now buried six feet into the side of the crater, Bombman returned his fist and hurled a bomb into the hole. It was time that Rockman died.

However… the bomb never reached its target.

Now shattering the bomb in its hand was another massive red, black, and yellow robot. This one wearing a Mettaur's helmet and having a massive shovel-like fixture attached to it and wrapping around the back of his head. His face was concealed in shadow, and his 4-foot thick armor wrapped around his wrists, shins, chest, and shoulders, protecting him from any blast. On his back was a dark gray "W" and on his chest was a red crystal indentation, glowing red. The armor around his shoulders, wrists, and shins was red, and his helmet and suit beneath yellow. Standing at 10 feet tall, he was a match for ANY robot or cyborg thrown at his way. "You always did get yourself in deep shit, Takeshi." He said.

The barely conscious Blue Bomber recognized that voice… it couldn't be… could it?

Kakashi and Bombman's fists met with a loud explosion, Bombman's crumpling on contact. "Hah! What a cheap knockoff… let me show you the power of a REAL Cyborg!" Bombman quickly adapted, and met Kakashi's next move with equal strength. And this time, his remaining arm didn't crumple under the pressure. "Adapting, eh? Lets try this, then!" Coming out with a powerful kick, the attack was, once again, met.

But then a beeping was heard.

On Bombman's back, head, remaining arm, and legs were 8 gooey bombs, which had stuck themselves to him. Before the robot could react, a massive explosion sent Kakashi flying as all 8 went off at once in a brilliant show of lights and sounds.

With only the front half of Bombman remaining, the robot, amazingly, still functioned! However, it could no longer produce new bombs, and was left with only its final attack.

The man who'd thrown the sticky bombs was horrified and bleeding. "What the hell!?" He yelped. "That should've…"

"No…" Kakashi said, as Bombman began to glow.

xXx

Takeshi was still deep in his own crater underground, and was fully conscious again at this point, but losing blood fast. He didn't want to move. He knew what was coming next… a self-destruct. He figured he was safest here… besides… he'd rather just lie there in the dark and die. Alone…

"Takeshi… why aren't you doing anything?"

He must've been dreaming. As he looked up, he saw Aimi! She was just sitting there beside him. "You… I must be dreaming or something…"

She smiled warmly.

"Take my hand. You still have work to do."

xXx

Bombman began counting down. Only 30 seconds until detonation… the bomb maker was stuck, pinned by debris. Kakashi should've known that this guy would have a self-destruct mechanism… he couldn't do anything.

But then… smashing through the ground with unbelievable strength was Takeshi! Now an Ice Blue color, he ran toward Bomb Man and began doing what Aimi did one week ago, and formed a thick ice dome around the mad bomber. Thickening it as much as he could, he quickly ran when it reached five feet thick and the countdown reached 3. Kakashi, at this point, had smashed a trench in the ground for himself to take cover in, and Takeshi jumped in there with him.

As the timer reached 1, Bombman once again exploded, the explosion weakened by half due to Takeshi's use of Aimi's ability. As the smoke cleared, Takeshi was going unconscious, seeing only a white figure as he closed his eyes.

xXx

Deep beneath rubble, the bomb maker was barely alive, when a red-haired teenager approached him, smiling. "Would you like to live?"

xXx

Takeshi was now back at home, in his room. Kakashi had taken him there and left, deciding not to stick around and cause any trouble.

In the corner of Takeshi's room sat Satoshi, still armored, looking out an open window. "That was some stunt you pulled."

"Satoshi…" Takeshi began.

"Don't ever act one pure emotion ever again, Takeshi."

"…" He was silent for a moment, soaking in his "brother's" words, when he replied, "I saw her."

Satoshi was unfazed.

"I think… maybe she's alive… she saved me, Satoshi. I was just laying there… wanting to die… when all of a sudden, I saw her, Satoshi, I saw her… I took her hand! I thought I was dreaming… but that smile just seemed so real. It gave me enough strength to get back up and stop Bombman's self-destruction from having full effect."

"…" Satoshi remained silent. "The mind has its own ways of handling things, Takeshi. Aimi is dead. You and I both know this."

"…" Takeshi looked down. "I could've sworn…" As Takeshi looked back up, Satoshi was gone.

A light breeze entered the room.

"I know what I saw… I just know it… she's alive… somewhere."

xXx

Aimi sat in the ice-cold building her arm had retreated to after the first Bombman fight. It was barely damaged by the second battle, and had become her new home, of sorts. She looked at her hands. "From even one bolt, I can regenerate exactly the way I was before. Even all my organic parts have been rebuilt, from that one arm…" She smirked. "You're some genius, Wily… but I'm not your little puppet anymore." She clenched her fists, sighing. "Takeshi…" She smiled, looking up at the starry sky, visible through the broken room of the building. "I'll find you again soon. I promise you that…"

END CHAPTER


End file.
